Forest Of Elf's
by Kaito Shigami
Summary: start of my new book


1.

The muddy dirt road reminded her of a scar. Thin and jagged, it leaped out of the forest, winding in and out through the trees like an ugly wound or a vicious snake. She shuddered, the road didn't belong here, and like the vehicle she rode in, it was an obscenity. It was offensive to the forest, and she had the feeling that the trees were angry. The very leaves seemed to reach out to catch hold of the bus, as though to grab it and bury it. The trees wanted to hide the unnaturalness, they wanted to restore the order of things. They wanted revenge.

Amy shook herself out of it. If she kept thinking like that, there was no way she could make it through three weeks of summer camp in these woods. She reached up and grabbed the necklace that had hung around her neck since she had found it in a ditch two months ago. As always, the smooth surface of the pendant seemed to suggest peace and happiness, calming her with the knowledge that it was there. It was odd, but the necklace seemed to speak to her, she felt as though it had been made just for her. It was as though no one else could ever find the same comfort in its presence as she could.

She sighed and leaned her head against the window. The trees weren't as menacing now, they merely seemed confused, as though they couldn't understand the destructive ways of man. Amy was suddenly struck with the sense of how old they were. She was filled with a deep sadness as she realized the trees couldn't reach out and grab the bus. They had no control over their fate, they were destined to be slowly consumed by the hunger of the human species. As much as they might try to hide their ugly wounds, or try to cover up their scars, man was always there to dig the wound deeper. Amy felt a tear roll down her face and wiped it away. If her brother caught her crying, she'd never live it down.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. She turned and glared at its owner. James grinned, big and light haired, her older brother looked nothing like her.

"So Ames, are you excited about going to summer camp?" He flashed her a mischievous smile. "I thought mom and dad were going to wait another year, you know you still need protection."

She frowned at him. She hadn't spoken for 5 years, and her parents seemed to think a lack of speech signified a mental disorder. They had therefore treated her like a three year old ever since the "accident". Amy was 13 years old, an excellent swimmer, had graduated at the top of her self-defense class, and carried a pocket knife everywhere. Small, dark haired and startling talented at throwing knives, she didn't need to make a sound to get someone's attention. However, her parents seemed to feel she needed someone to watch her at all times, especially since they refused to let her use sign language. They seemed to think if she started communicating with her hands she'd never go back to the way she had been.

She pulled out the camera that she'd smuggled past her parents and popped in a roll of film. James faked a look of shock.

"Oooooh! You know mom and dad don't like it when you use that. You're supposed to remember with words." James shook his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know what mom and dad would say, this is supposed to be a nature experience, cameras aren't natural."

Amy rolled her eyes, and pointed her finger at the bulge in the pocket where James had stashed his gameboy. James grinned sheepishly, and held out his hand. They shook on it, a vow of secrecy.

Turning back to the window, she snapped a picture of the dense foliage. Looking through the shutter of the camera, she noticed an odd creature sitting on one of the branches. Amy pulled the camera from her face to get a better look, but the image had disappeared. It had almost looked like a teenager. It had almost looked like her.

A loud voice from the front of the bus made her jump for the second time that day.

"Alrightyyy then, we are about five minutes from the campsite, and I want all y'all ready to leave the bus in a nice, orderly fashion. Understood?" Tall, blonde-headed Sergeant Franklin grinned. He was strict, but everyone liked him, especially the girls, (they all thought he was cute).

The sergeants son, a 15-year-old mirror image of his father, turned around in the seat in front of them, and grinned at James.

"I hear the animals are acting weird lately, I hope the wolves don't escape. The last time that happened, someone lost a leg." Benjamin flashed a winning smile at Amy. "But don't worry Ames, Jamie and I will protect you."

Amy gave him a halfhearted smile, and went back to staring at the foliage.

Benjamin turned back to James. "I swear I can't see how you two can possibly be related. Are you sure she wasn't adopted?"

James shook his head. "I wish I could say she was, but as unfortunate as it is, we're related by blood."

Benjamin heaved a dramatic sigh, and looked at him sympathetically. "How will you ever survive the humiliation?"

Amy turned back to the two of them, and casually grabbed their ears. Twisting her wrists slightly, she applied just enough pressure to make it hurt, but not enough to leave a mark. James and Benjamin had been best friends for so long, she knew every trick in the book to get the two of them to plead mercy. She also found a perverse pleasure in making the two of them feel like little children, it made her feel like she was in control.

James was the first to give in. "Lemme go. Lemme go or I'll tell mom."

Benjamin followed suit. "Let us go. Can't you take a joke?"

Amy smiled sweetly, and twisted harder.

2.

"THWAK" Amy jumped as something hit the window next to her. James and Benjamin shrieked as her nails dug into their ears. Amy let go and gave them an apologetic look. The entire bus had gone silent. Amy flushed, they were all looking at her.


End file.
